Hand protector for presses



June 25, 1929. w. c. FELLows HAND PROTECTOR FOR PRESSES Filed Oct. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 25, 1929. w, FELLOWS 1,118,549

HAND PRO'IIEGTOR FOR PRESSES Filed Oct. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,718,549 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER C. FELLOWS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 C. R. CAR- VER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. i

' HAND PROTECTOR- FOR PRESSES.

Application filed October 2, 1926. Serial No. 139,122.

The object of my invention is to provide an elicient finger guard for stamping or embossing' presses and for other machines in which there is employed a reciprocable moving part in the path of the iingers of the operator during the feeding of the paper or material required to be acted upon.

My object is further to provide a linger protector for machines known as stamping and embossing presses in which a vertically reciprocating plunger cooperates with a die and between which the sheets or cards are inserted and removed by hand, the protector being supported by the main frame or housing and adapted to swing in forward and backward directions immediately above the die and below the plunger, but at all times under the control of and in timed relation with the said plunger.

Y My invention has a further object in that the finger guard is automatically moved backward substantially clear of the die, whereby free access may be had thereto and to the counter-block of the plunger when changing them or adjusting the press; and wherein upon the downward movement of the pilinger, the finger guard is moved forward immediately above the die and chuck carrying the same, whereby at the moment of danger the finger guard will positively force the fingers clear of the die and plunger so as not to be pinched or crushed thereby.

My object is 'further to employ cam devices for imparting a greater or less throw to the links and guard to suit dies of different sizes in the press.

iVith these and other objects in view to be performed and secured, my invention con` sists of certain improvements in finger guards for stamping and embossing presses and'for other machines, having the particular features of novelty as set forth in the following specification and defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofa stamping press having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a similar view ,(in part) with the opera,- tive portions moved to other positions; Fig. 3 is a front view of my improvement largely separated from the press; Fig. 4 is a plan view with the upper portion cut away on line 1 /1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the operating cams.

The main frame and housing of the press is shown at 2 and in which the vertical plunger 3 is guided, the same hung in a cross head 12 is the inger guard and is swung back-v ward and forward between the die 5 and plunger 3 by means to be now described. 8 is a bracket extending across the front and sides of the housing 2 in which the plunger is guided, said bracket being secured in place by cap screws 2 or otherwise. Hinged at 10, 10, Aupon the opposite sides of the bracket 8 are the vertical links 9, 9, whose lower ends are hinged to opposite sides oit' the tingcr guard 11 at 12, 12, said latter hinge points being also at the lower part of the guard when in ejecting position (F ig. 1). Similarly, hinged at 15, 15, on opposite sides of the bracket 8 are the vertical links 13, 13, whose lower ends cross the links 9, 9, and are respectively hinged to opposite sides of the linger guard 11 at 14, 111, said latter hinge points being at the upper part of the guard when in ejecting position. Where these two sets of links 9 andy13 cross'each other in pairs, scissor-like, I provide guard plates 13gl secured to the links 13 and extending backward over the links 9, to prevent the fingers accidently getting between said links at a time whenl the finger guard 11 is moved farthest to the rear (F ig. 2). The links 9 and 13 together with the finger guard` 11 form a toggle arrangement, which as a whole is yieldingly forced rearward by springs 20. To move the links and guard forward in the opposite direction, the following instrumentalities are employed. The upper ends of the links 13, 13, constituting their pivotal or fulcrumed portions are provided with short'arm portions having pivoted rollers 16, 16, which rest against the cam faces 17 of cam blocks 17, 17, the said blocks secured in operative positions upon vertical operating rods 1S, 18, whose upper ends are secured to and moved by the crossv head 21 in an up and down direction with the plunger 3. The lower ends of the rods 18, 18, are guided bracket 8, for steadying the rods while the cams 17a are in operation during the shifting of the finger guard 11. The cams are quick acting by reason of the abrupt cam sh-oulders 17 which are designed to quickly throw the guard 11 from its rear position- (Fie: 2) to a forward position somewhat beyond that shown in F ig. 1, the cam being shown in action with the parts as illustrated in said Fig. 1. The action of the two cams 17 a is constantly opposed by the springs 20, so that the springs insure that the rollers 1G shall be constantly in operative contact with the cam surfaces 17. The springs 2() are connected at onerend with the links 13 and at the other end withthe press housing 2. Y

When the linger guard 11 is moved to the most rearward position (F ig. 2), the die 5 and counter-block 4 are fully exposed for replacement when necessary, and the space between the die and plunger is a maximum for free introduction and removal of the paper' or card sheets in the periods between the vstamping or embossing operations.

In my preferred construction, I provide the cam with cam surfaces 17 on opposite sidesrand of different throws, so that either cam. surface may be adjusted to Voperative position, to cause the links and guard bar to be moved a greater or less distance to suit dies and counter-blocks of dilferent sizes.

1 .Thus, if the die of one size required the action of one of the cam surfaces 17 to move the guard 11 to the proper distance forward and backward, then when the die and counterblock are changed to a larger size, the throw of the links and guard must be given a greater movement and consequently the other cam surface 17 having a greater throw must be brought into operative position. kThe construction employed for securing these results consists of the following features. The rods 18 are round and the cam blocks 17a are free to be rotated upon said rods to bring either of the cam surfaces 17, 17, into operative position. rIo insure exact positioning with one hundred and eighty degree adjustments of the cam blocks, the rods 18 are provided with cross pins 23 to be received in diametric lgrooves 24 on the upper ends of the cam blocks and said relation held by the action of coil springs 19, carried on the rods kand pressing thecam blocks upward against the pins. Vhen the adjustments are made, the set screws 25 are tightened for securing theV cams rigidly to the rods. These features are best shownl in Fig. 5. It will beunderstoodthat, if desired, only oneset of links). and 13 and one cam block therefor need be used, but Vin view ofthe greater strength and nicety of the hinge joints required,`I prefer to employ two sets of links and cam blocks as shown.

If it should be desired to turn the finger guard forward and upward for providing free access for any cause, this may readily be done by disconnecting the springs 20- and moving the links 9 and 13 forward and upward about their hinge points 1() and 15.

It'willnow be apparent that I have devised a novel and-usefulconstruction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of vmodification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or sco pe of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure Vby Letters Patent is: y

1. A machine having a fixed frame Vand two operative parts which have a relative reciprocatory movement, in combination with means to guard the fingers of the operator comprising a transverse finger guard, crossing links hinged at their upper ends to the lined frame and at their lower ends to the linger guard and arranged to swing the same backward and forward between the two operative parts ofthe machine and rotated upon a transverse anis into a vertical position during its forward movement, means yieldingly acting upon the links to cause the linger guard to be moved to the rear of the said operative Y parts, and mechanically operating means actuated by n'ioving part-s of the machine in timed relation with the relative movements of the operative parts thereof for moving the links and finger guard forward of the said operative parts in opposition to the yielding operation ofthe meansaforesaid. '2. yIlle invention according wherein further, the means yieldingly acting upon the links comprise a spring and themechanically ojiierating means consist-s of cam devices "movablel by the same means which pro-vides the relative recprocatory movement between the Vtwo operative parts of the machine, said` spring and Cain devices operating upon onek of the links only.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, the two operative parts comprise a die and a plunger of a press with means to reciprocate the plunger, the yieldingly acting means consist of spring devices, and the mechanically operatingmeans is operated by connections with the means for reciprocating the plunger and wherein also the connected crossing links and kfinger guard are operated in unison. j

4. The invention according toV claim 1, wherein further, the mechanically operating means consists of reciprocating Acam mechanism acting upon the connected crossing links to claim 1,V

whereby they are given a swinging movenient in timed relation with the relative reciproeatory movements of the two operative parts of' the machine.

5. A press having a die and reciprocating plunger, combined with a finger guard therefor consisting of a guard bar adapted to be moved between the die and plunger, a pair of crossing links having their upper ends hinged to the press structure and their lower ends hinged to the finger guard by which it is suspended so as to swing backward and forward between the die and plunger and rotate upon the lower ends of each of the links, means for causing the links to be moved backward a distance sufiicient to move the finger guard from in front to the rear of the die and plunger to permit changing of the die, and means movable in timed relation with the reciprocations of the plunger for causing the guard bar to be moved forward under the plunger and clear of it as it descends to cooperate with the die.

G. The invention according to claim 5, wherein further, the means for causing the links to move backward to the rear of the plunger consists of spring devices, and the means for causing the finger guard to be moved forward in front of the plunger conof positively acting cam mechanism acting upon one of the crossing links and through it and the finger guard upon the other crossing link and operative from the plunger actuating means.

7. The invention according to claim 5, wherein further, the means for causing the links to move backward to the rear of the plunger consists of spring devices, and the means for causing the finger guard to be moved forward in front of the plunger consists of positively acting cam mechanism acting upon one of the crossing links and through it and the finger guard upon the other crossing link and operative from the plunger actuating means, said mechanism including a vertically reciprocating rod, a cam secured thereto so as to be movable with it and having a cam shaped side face, and a Contact means attached to the first mentioned crossing link resting against the cam face for actuating the link and finger guard carried thereby and while the latter is guided by the other crossing link.

8. The invention according to claim 5, wherein further, the means for causing the links to move backward consists of spring devices, and the means for causing the finger guard to be moved forward consists of positively acting cam mechanism acting upon one of the crossing links and operative from the plunger actuating means, said mechanism including a vertically reciprocating rod having a transverse pin, a cam block sleeved upon the rod and having a diametric groove to receive the transverse pin and to permit the cam block to assume two positions 180 apart, said cam block having cam surfaces along its length and 180O apart, spring devices for holding the cam block against the transverse pin, positive means to clamp the cam block to the rod, and means connected with the link and actuated by the cam surfaces for operating the connected links and finger guard carried thereby.

9. The invention according to claim 5, wherein further, the means for causing the connected crossing links and finger guard to move forward comprises a cam block movable in timed relation to the plunger and having two cam portions of different throws, means for adjusting the cam block to bring either of the two cam portions into operative position, and means actuated by the cam portion which is in operative position for actuating the connected links and finger guard, whereby the finger guard may be moved to a greater or less distance to suit dies and counterblocks of different sizes.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

WALTER C. FELLOWS. 

